Moment Area Examples

For the cantilever shown below calculate

vertical deflection at the tip of the cantilever.
E = 200 kN/mm2
I = 200 000 cm4
100 kN
A

EI
8m

EI
2m

Solution
A

100 kN
B 2 m, EI
8 m, EI
C
DC

800

8/3 m

2 + 2x8/3 = 22/3 m

Taking Moment of the area about C

DC = [(800x8/2) x 22/3] / EI = 70400/3EI
E =200 kN/mm2 = 200 x 106 kN/m2
I = 20000 cm4 = 200000x10-8 = 2000x10-6 m4
DC = [70400/(3x200x106x2000x10-6)] x 1000

DC = 58.66 mm

100 kN
1

5m

10m, E, I

500

100 kN

D1

D1
1
V1

5 +10/3 = 25/3

10m, E, I

D1 = [(500 x 5/2) x 25/3] / EI

D1 = 31250/3EI
20/3

10m, E, I

10V1

D1 = [(10V1 x 10/2) x 20/3] / EI

D1 = 1000V1/3EI

(Equate deflections)
1000 V1 = 31250
V1 = 31.25 kN V2 = 100 31.2 = 68.8 kN

500

20/3
5 +10/3 = 25/3
10V1=
312.5

M2 = 500 10V1 = 500 312.5 = 187.5 kN-m

MUnder the Load = 31.25 x 5 = 156.25 kN-m
Or 312.5/2 = 156.25 kN-m
187.5 kN-m
Bending Moment Dia.

156.25 kN-m

MA
0

VA

For the structure shown below:

Calculate support reactions
Sketch BMD showing values at critical locations
Calculate vertical deflection at C. EI = 80000 kN-m2
A

2m, E, I C There are 4 D.o.F and

only 3 Equations of
B
Equilibrium:
VB

100 kN/m
8m, E, I

=
100 kN/m
L, E, I

qB

DB

+
DB
VB

Remove reaction at B
to change the structure
to a determinate
structure
Apply VB such that the
net deflection at B is
Zero

3200
100 kN/m
A

L, E, I

qB

B
DB

CG+
2m

6m

Draw two tangents at A and B

DB = (1/3x3200x8) x 6/EI = 51200/EI
16/3 m
DB
VB

8VB

Draw two tangents at A and B

DB = (8VBx8/2) x 16/3EI = 512VB/3EI

2m

5m

CG+
2m

300

Shear Force Diagram

3m

3200

500

51200/EI = 512VB/3EI (No deflection at B)

VB = 300 kN
VA = 800 300 = 500 kN
MA = 3200 8 VB = 3200 2400 = 800 kN-m

800

16/3 m

Bending Moment Diagram

5m

450

8VB=2400

6m

Sagging Moment = 300*3/2 = 450kN-m

8m

16/3 m

CG+

2m

6m

2400

3200

Deflection calculations
2m

8m

DC1 = (1/3x3200x8) x 8/EI = 68267/EI

DC2 = (2400x8/2)x(16/3 + 2)/EI = 70400/EI
DC = DC1 DC2 = -2133/EI
DC =(-2133.33/80000) * 1000
DC = 26.7 mm Upward

Alternative solution
MA
0
VA

MA
0
VA

100 kN/m
8m, E, I

2m, E, I C

100 kN/m
8m, E, I

MA

2m, E, I C
B

2m, E, I C

0
VA

8m, E, I

Introduce a hinge at A to get red of a D.o.F

MA
0

VA
0

qA

400
MA
0

100 kN/m
8m, E, I

2m, E, I C
B

100 kN/m

C
B
400

qA

A
MA/8

MA

800

C
B
MA/8

qA = 2/3 x 800 x 4 /EI =6400/3EI

MA = 3EI/8 qA = 3EI/8 x 6400/3EI = 800kN-m
VA = 400 + 800/8 = 500 kN
VB = 400 800/8 = 300 kN

Now student try the following question

For the structure shown below:
Calculate support reactions
Sketch BMD showing values at critical
locations
Calculate vertical deflection at c
100 kN

MA

VA

2m, E, I C

4m

0
A

8m, E, I

EI = 80000 kN-m2

MA
0
VA

100 kN

2m, E, I C There are 4 D.o.F

Take reaction at B out
B
Apply VB such that the net
deflection at B is Zero

8m, E, I

100 kN

qB

400

4m

DB

Draw two tangents at A and B

DB = (400*4/2) x 20/3EI = 16000/3EI

4m

8m

8VB

DB

8/3 +4 = 20/3

16/3

VB
Draw two tangents at A and B
DB = (8VB*8/2) x 16/3EI = 512VB/3EI

512VB/3EI = 16000/3EI VB = 31.25kN & VA= 68.75kN

400

400-250 =150kNm

8/3 +4 = 20/3
4m

250

8m

31.25 *4 = 125 kN-m

4m

Shear Force Dia.

4m

31.25kN

68.75kN

Bending Moment Dia.

16/3

100 kN

100 kN
1

5m, EI

5m, EI

V2

V1

5m, EI

5m, EI

V3

Remove the support at 2

100 kN

100 kN
1

210m, EI

5m, EI

5m, EI

D2

D2
100

100

500

500

Bending Moment Diagram

Moment of area at 3

D2 =[(500x5/2) x (2/3)x5 + (500x5) x (5+2.5)]/EI

D2 = 12500/3EI + 18750/EI = 68750/3EI

Now apply V2 back to push the beam to

its original position
D2
1
V1 = V2/2

10m, EI

V2
(V2/2) x 10 = 5V2

10m, EI

D2
3
V3 = V2/2

Moment of area at 3
D2 = (5V2x10/2) x 20/3EI =500V2/3EI

500V2/3EI = 68750/3EI
V2 = 68750/500 = 137.5 kN

V1 = 100 V2/2 = 31.25 kN

V3 = V1 = 31.25 kN
M2 = 5V2 500 = 5*137.5 -500 =187.5 kN-m
187.5

31.25x5
=156.25

156.25

Thinking outside the box

Students to work in groups of 2 or 3 and

discuss if they can use the conditions of
symmetry to simplify the structure to work
out the unknown parameters.
Hint: Draw deformed shape of the structure
& think about simplifying it.
100 kN

100 kN
1

2
5m, EI
V1

5m, EI
V2

5m, EI

5m, EI

V3

Thinking outside the box

Due to symmetrical geometry and loading,

the structure can be simplified to:
100 kN

100 kN
1

2
10m, E, I

3
10m, E, I

At the central support the structure can not

move vertically or horizontally
Due to symmetry there is no rotation either.
This could be replaced to a fixed support.

100 kN
1

2
10m, E, I

500

100 kN

D1

5+10/3 = 25/3

2
10m, E, I

+
20/3

D1
1
V1

2
10m, E, I

10V1

From the first Structure:

D1 = [(500 x 5/2) x 25/3] / EI
D1 = 31250/3EI
From the Second Structure:
D1 = [(10V1 x 10/2) x 20/3] / EI
D1 = 1000V1/3EI
1000 V1 = 3125 (Equate deflections)
V1 = 31.25 kN
(which is the same as before)

Challenging Question
120 kN

2
2m, EI

4m, EI

6m, EI

For the structure shown:

Calculate support reactions.
Sketch BMD and calculate values at critical
location.
The structure is indeterminate as there
are 4 variables and 3 equations of
equilibrium.

Solution
120 kN
0

2m, EI

4m, EI

120 kN
2m, EI

6m, EI

V2

V1

=
2

4m, EI

V3

6m, EI

D2

D1

100

d2

D2

D2
1 2m, EI
V1 = V2/2

20

4m, EI

6m, EI
V2 = 2V1

3
V3 = V2/2

120 kN

D1

4m, EI

2m, EI

100

200

D1
2

2
D2

6m, EI

d2

3
20

120

Draw three tangents at 1, 2 and 3.

D1 = [(200x2/2x4/3) + (200x10/2)(2+10/3)]/EI
D1 = [800/3+16000/3] / EI = 16800/3EI = 5600/EI
d2 + D2 = D1 / 2 = 2800/EI
d2= (120x6/2) x 6/3EI = 720/EI D2 = (2800-720)/EI
D2 = 2080/EI

D2

D2
1 2m, EI
V1 = V2/2

4m, EI

6m, EI

(V2/2) x 6 = 3V2

V2

3
V3 = V2/2

D2 = (3V2x6/2) x 4/EI =36V3/EI

36V2/EI = 2080/EI V2 = 2080/36 = 57.78kN
V1 = 100 57.78/2 = 71.11 kN
V3 = 20 - 57.78/2 = -8.89 kN
1

2
2m, EI
71.11

4m, EI

6m, EI

57.78
53.34

BMD
142.22

8.89

Alternative Solution
Remove V3

120 kN

2
2m, EI

4m, EI

V1

120 kN
1

V2

6m, EI

V3
D3
3

2
2m, EI

4m, EI

V2

V1

6m, EI

V3
3

2m, EI
V1

4m, EI
V2

6m, EI

D3

V3
1

2
2m, EI

4m, EI
2V3

V3

6m, EI

D3

=
1

V3

2
2m, EI

4m, EI

D3A

6m, EI

V1

V3

M2 =6V3

2
2m, EI
V1

4m, EI

q2

6m, EI

3
D3B

120 kN

2m, EI
D3 V1
1

4m, EI

2m

80

4m

V2

6m, EI

40

160 kN-m

D3

6m, EI

BMD

Draw two tangents at 1 and 2 take moment

of the area at 1
D3 =[(160x2/2) x (2x2/3) + (160x4/2) x (2+4/3)]/EI
D3 =(640/3 +320x10/3)/EI = 3840/3EI

6m, EI

V3

6V3
D3A

4m

M2 =6V3

2
6m, EI

+ BMD

q2

6m, EI

D3B

V1

D3A =(6V3x6/2) x 4/EI = 72V3 / EI

M2 = (3EI/6) q2 = EI q2 /2
q2 = 2M2/EI = 2x(6V3)/EI = 12V3/EI
D3B =6x q2 = 6 x (12xV3/EI) = 72V3 / EI
D3 = D3A + D3B = 144V3 / EI
144V3 / EI = 3840/3EI V3 = 8.89 kN

V1 = 80 8.89 = 71.11 kN
V2 = 40 + 2x8.89 = 57.78 kN
71.11
8.89

48.89

Shear Force Diagram

53.34

Bending Moment Diagram

142.22